2013 Tablet Comparison Chart

August 6th, 2013

To compare tablets side by side, click on up to four different tablets from the list above. You can also sort by popularity or price and filter by connectivity, size and OS. This tablet comparison chart allows you to compare all the top tablet PCs on the market, but which of these specs is most important? Are there other factors that you should consider when choosing a tablet?

Android, iOS or Something Else?

The most important thing to consider when doing a tablet comparison is the operating system. Apple was first to market with their iOS platform and therefore have the biggest market share and the largest amount of apps in their app store. Google is the second most popular tablet operating system with their Android OS. The newest competitor in the tablet space is Microsoft. The software giant introduced Windows RT and Windows 8 for tablets in late 2012. Microsoft makes own tablet called Surface and companies like Dell, Acer and ASUS are making Windows RT and Windows 8 tablets as well. It is still unclear how tablets with these new versions of Windows will be accepted by consumers, but if you need to use Microsoft Office on the go, you should probably look into one of these new devices.

Android Tablets vs iPad

Apple's iPad is an incredible device and leads the market in tablet sales. Having more than a year head start on the competition, Apple has nearly cornered the market. They offer a mature operating system with a large free and paid application portfolio in the Apple App Store. However, when looking for the best tablet pc, there are reasons to choose Android over iOS.

The iPad is a very closed system compared to Android. Most tablets with Android allow more freedom when it comes to installing apps and customizing your experience. Manufacturers are also free to make interface changes and customize Android. This allows different companies to offer their own variations of Android. More choice means more competition and progress!

Compare Android Tablets

Because there are many different manufacturers and developers in the Android tablet community, the choices and options are much higher (especially than Apple's single option). When comparing tablets, it's important to look at:

Screen: Is it multi-touch? What is the size and resolution?

Processor: Is it fast enough to handle your tasks? Is it single, dual or quad core?

Memory: Does it have enough RAM to run all the apps you need?

Storage: Can you fit all your apps and media on it? Is the memory expandable?

One of the most important things you'll want to consider when doing a tablet comparison is the screen. Does it have a multi-touch screen or a single-touch screen? Some tablets also come with a stylus for those who don't like to use their fingers on the screen. You should also consider the screen resolution to make sure it's high enough quality for your needs. The latest generation of Apple and Google tablets feature very high resolution screens which Apple refers to as "Retina displays." These screens offer such a high resolution that the individual pixels are not visible to the eye. Most tablet reviews spend a lot of time focused on the screen quality since this is one of the most important qualities for a new tablet.

The processor capabilities are also something to look at. If you have a single-core 800 Mhz processor, it probably won't be fast enough for doing much more than web surfing and a few basic tasks at once. You should look for at least 1 Ghz or faster and preferably dual-core or quad-core processors. There are many tablet differences, but processor speed is one of the most noticeable.

Some tablets come with a really small amount of RAM which can cause problems when trying to run multiple apps. You should look for a tablet with at least 1 GB of RAM if you plan on multitasking. The more RAM, the better!

Storage is one of the most expensive things in a tablet (at least the most expensive add-on). Do you need a lot of memory or can you store most of your media and files in the cloud? The Kindle Fire HD, for example, comes with a lot of cloud storage for your media, so it doesn't need so much on board storage. If possible, get a tablet with expandable storage in the form of a micoSD slot. This will allow you to inexpensively expand your storage in the future.

If you're looking for a tablet-like notebook, you could also consider a new Intel based Ultrabook. This new class of notebook is similar to a tablet in terms of weight and screen size, but has a more traditional keyboard and touchpad approach and use full Windows 7. Do a little notebook comparison with this Ultrabook Comparison Tool.